Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,133 in Taoyuan versus $1,203 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,711 in Taoyuan versus $1,954 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Taoyuan versus $2,704 in Taichung.

Living in Taoyuan costs roughly 6% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taoyuan 15% lower, Taichung 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$160

$4.99 NT$158

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 NT$808

$29.95 NT$948

-14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 NT$195

$5.46 NT$173

13.00%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NT$92.9

$2.93 NT$92.8

0.34%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 NT$40.87

$1.16 NT$36.63

11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.81

$0.86 NT$27.21

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.1

$2.16 NT$68.4

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$76.0

$2.83 NT$89.6

-15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$102

$3.79 NT$120

-15.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NT$43.56

$1.75 NT$55.5

-21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.77 NT$87.8

-8.66%

Eggs

$2.23 NT$70.5

$3.29 NT$104

-32.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 NT$291

$31.49 NT$997

-70.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 NT$254

$8.10 NT$256

-0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 NT$503

$15.61 NT$494

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 NT$106

$4.72 NT$150

-29.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.2

$1.82 NT$57.7

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NT$83.0

$2.28 NT$72.2

14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.0

$3.07 NT$97.2

-2.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.2

$1.35 NT$42.59

80.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$59.7

$1.88 NT$59.4

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NT$80.9

$2.35 NT$74.3

8.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.61

$1.28 NT$40.64

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 NT$209

$4.14 NT$131

59.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 NT$299

$15.69 NT$497

-39.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NT$58.2

$1.65 NT$52.1

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$75.0

$2.62 NT$82.9

-9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.08

$0.86 NT$27.25

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.05 NT$1,299

$29.22 NT$925

40.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 NT$99.0

$2.96 NT$93.7

5.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.80

$1.23 NT$38.90

-36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 NT$254

$10.33 NT$327

-22.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.34

$1.00 NT$31.79

5.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$34.4K NT$1.1M

4.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K NT$834.4K

$26.4K NT$835.4K

-0.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$65.2 NT$2,063

$97.3 NT$3,080

-33.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.34 NT$928

$24.15 NT$764

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 NT$605

$21.53 NT$681

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.10 NT$1,174

$35.96 NT$1,138

3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$325

$10.14 NT$321

1.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 NT$316

$10.66 NT$337

-6.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$575 NT$18.2K

$356 NT$11.3K

61.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$485.7K

$21.0K NT$664.8K

-26.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NT$2,613

$85.7 NT$2,712

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 NT$763

$34.47 NT$1,091

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,680

$93.9 NT$2,972

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,200

$131 NT$4,137

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 NT$13.4K

$385 NT$12.2K

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 NT$10.9K

$281 NT$8,893

22.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 NT$26.5K

$1,025 NT$32.4K

-18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 NT$19.4K

$714 NT$22.6K

-14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,004 NT$253.3K

$7,104 NT$224.8K

12.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,235 NT$165.7K

$5,345 NT$169.2K

-2.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,536 NT$48.6K

$1,415 NT$44.8K

8.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Taoyuan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Taoyuan and $385 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Taoyuan vs $30.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $398 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Taoyuan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Taoyuan pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Taoyuan versus $385 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taoyuan – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,133 per month in Taoyuan versus $1,203 in Taichung – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,133 in Taoyuan versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taoyuan and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.